Concrete mixing, spreading, and finishing machine



g- 2, 1932- E. H. LICHTENBERG 1,869,902

CONCRETE MIXING, SPREADING, AND FINISHING MACHINE Filed Aug. 3. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug, 2, 193 E. H. LICHTENBERG ,9

CONCRETE MIXING, SPREADING, AND FINISHING MACHINE Filed Aug. 5, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z11 1 WW Patented Aug. 2, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ERICK H. LICETENBERG, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIQNOR 'IO KOEHRING COK- PANY, OF MILWAUKEE; WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION CONCRETE MIXING, SPREADING, AND FINISHING MACHINE Application filed August 3, 1927. Serial No. 210,278.

The development of machines for building concrete roads is reaching that point where it may soon be possible to standardize upon the construction of such roads. By standardizing I means that roads all over the country may be designed to be built of standard widths, or multiples of widths, in establishing a highway system. Under such conditions the employment of a portable concrete road paving plant of the type which I present herein will be highly desirable, though such plant has very considerable utility today in the building of roads speedily and efficiently.

My present invention and application represent a continuation in part of my application for patent, Serial No. 97,933, filed March 527, 1926, and there is involved in my present machine what may be termed a largely automatic concrete mixing and distributing plant. In other words, I aim to provide a machine which will'advance over the subgrade of a road to be paved with concrete. The machine is designed largely for automatic operation under the control of practically a single operator. This operator will su )QIViSB the'forward movement of the machine or operation of the traction means, and he will operate the crane or other-instrumentalities employed to carry a batch of unmixed concrete aggregates to a position in which they may be discharged by him into the receiving hopper or hoppers of the concrete mixing drum or drums. \Vhen such concrete aggregates in dry state are discharged in said hoppers their flowing action. will automatically set into operation certain means which causes a restoring of the concrete discharge chute or chutes to non-discharging position. Thereupon the mixing of the concrete continues incident to the usual turning of the drumsthat are constantly revolvin and. at a predetermined time, controlled hy batchmeters auto: matically operated by the flowing of concrete aggregates in the drum hopper or hoppers. The time of mixing of the aggregates will be determined .and when said time is concluded the discharge chutes will be turned over automatically to their discharging positions and feed the mixed concrete from the drum or drums to a distributor.

Inthis invention my distributor is intended to be one that will lay the concrete on the road the full width thereof, and Without any particular attention on the part of the operator.

\Vith the foregoing in mind, therefore, it will be seen that I have a ractically complete automatic machine, the operation of which is controlled by a single operator, if necessary, who simply keeps charging the mixing plant and thereafter the operation of the plant as to its various instrumentalitIes becomes automatic.

I may use an automatic water supply means in conjunction with the other auto-' matic features of my machine, as hereinafter set forth, and an automatically acting finishing means for imparting to the road surface its final finished condition.

\Vhilc in the drawings annexed hereto I have shown a plurality of mixing machines and associated special hoppers, a single one of such machines, if large enough, might be used within the purview of the invention In the accompanying drawings: I

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a road building machine, embodying the features of the present invention, fragments .of an industrial railroad being also shown.

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the machine illustrated in Figure 1, parts being broken away for the savin of space, and the parts being seen on a re uced scale.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of one of the mixing drums, and

contiguous parts being broken away for disv closing interior structure.

The general operating features of my machine may be set forth comprising the loading device or apparatus A which comprises a rotary crane 1, having a boom 2, together with hoisting tackle means 3, operative connected with an automatic grapple 4, whic may be of the type set forth in Letters Patent of Tranaas, No, 1,565,688, issued December 15th., 1925. The automatic grapple 4 is adapted to be engaged with a. batch box 5 that may readily be hoisted from the truck of an industrial car operating on the tracks l to be driven from the power plant of the 6, seem in are 1. The operator at the crane 1 may t as control the discharging of the box 5 by manipulation of the hoisting cables 3, and a suitable grapple operating cable associated therewith (not shown).

The loading means or crane just described is mounted upon a traction base 7 adapted i a plurality of mixers 12 having discharge Gil chutes 13 to discharge the mixers into a distributing hopper 14. Feed hoppers 15 at the charging ends of the mixers 12 receive the batches of concrete aggregates fed to the mixers and direct said aggre ates into the drums of said mixers. The chute 13 is, of course, susceptible of assuming any of various well known specific forms or types, it being essential only that the chute be so mounted as to be capable of moving from a dischargingposition to a non-dischar ing position, sealing the mixer against discharge. The detailed form shown in the drawings includes the main portion of the chute indicated at 13 as pivotally mounted,-while the outer section is indicated by 13.

Each mixer 12 will be operated by its own engine 16, disposed beneath the respective hopper 15 or otherwise suitably located and having a driving shaft 17 geared to the drum or the associated mixer. Or, if desired, a single engine may operate the two mixers 12. The distributing hopper 14- is common to the two mixers to receive the mixed concrete aggregates therefrom when the latter are discharged. Said hopper 14 has a restricted discharge opening 18 at its lowermost portion and of a length corresponding to the full Width of the road or section of road that is being laid down by the machine.

Arranged within the upper portion of each hopper i5 is a trip plate 26 fixed to and outstanding :irom a rock shaft 2'7, each plate being disposed in the path of descent of the aggregates discharging from any given box 5 into the respective hopper 15. Such aggregates, therefore, in alling strike and depress the t a plate and thereby rock the hopper l5 and mixer 12 is mechanism and a de- "ipiy to its duplicate. n 1 each rock shaft arm. A. link 39 is extends along side across respective hopper 15 and the mixer 12 to a point advance of the discharge end of the mixer. A batchmeter 29 is mounted on the frame, one for each mixer 12, and has a crank arm e0 pivoted to the link .39, between the ends of the latter, so that the batchmeter may be started into operation incident to the feeding of the flowing concrete aggregates into the hopper 15 associated with such batchmeter. The link 39 is pivoted to a lever'ci on the frame, having a link 42 attached to operating mechanism 43 for the chute 13, whereby said chute may be moved to nondischarging position at a predetermined time, which, in the present instance, wilt be as the aggregates are transferred from a batch box 5 to the drum or mixer 12, through a hopper 15.

It is contemplated, also, that the actual discharge movement of the chutes 13 for the mixers 12 may be controlled from the batchmeters 29. This may be done by utilizing a motor for each chute 13, to turn the same over to discharge position at a predetermined moment, namely, at the time of completion 0% the mixing operation required by the mixer. If desired, the actual driving movement imparted to the chute 13 may be effected by mechanism such as illustrated in Webb Unit ed States Letters Patent No. 1,628,378, dated May 10th, 1927.

In Figure 3 I have illustrated a water tank 44, the valve controlling means of which includes an arm 45, connecting with the link 39, so that as the materials are being charged into the mixer with which said tank is associated, the valve means of the tank will be opened so that water may pass downwards through the pipe 46 into the mixer 12. Qt course, one of the tanks 4% would be employed for each mixer.

The means illustrated herein for the turning of each chute 13 to discharge position is merely shown diagrammatically, because such i means may be substantially that employed in the Webb Letters Patent aforesaid and does not have to be shown or described in detail under such conditions.

With the foregoing disclosure of the construction of my portable paving plant set forth, the general operation of my machine may be summarized as follows:

A single operator will be sufiicient to operate the whole plant and will be stationed on the crane A. Pie-will maintain the traction means of the crane in o i and steadily advance chine. At the same i swing body of? the will shift back and to l th able means carried thereby, includin the is devie will engage and carry the be the respective hoppers 15 and supply dry aggregates to said hoppers as needed.

its the dry aggregates drop into the hopper 15, under the automatic discharging operation of each batch box, the plate 26 will be struck and will be. operated to start the batchmeters 29 into action. the mixers 12 being in constant operation. The operation of each batchmeter 29 will take place simultaneou.-:ly with the-restoration of the discharge chute 13 to a nondischarging position. Thereafter the batchmeter will time the movement of the discharge chute when it goes over to its discharge position at the end of the mixing action of the particular mixer. Also, at the time that each batclnneter 29 is set. the water tank 44 with a sufiicient supply of water for the batch fed to the mixer, will be opened up to cause its water to pass into such mixer. At the end of the mixing period required for a proper mixing the aggregates in a particular mix the discharge chute 13 will be moved to its discharge position.

By the use of a plurality'of mixers, or a single very large mixer, it is designed that the spreading hopper 14 shall be kept nearly full of concrete that steadily issues out of the bottom of said hopper under the control of a door, which is adapted to govern the op erative area of said discharge opening 18, this door beng diagramn'iatically shown in Fig- .ure 2. In the rear of the spreading or discharging hopper 14 is a finishing roller 46, designed to operate upon the concrete which is laid by the action of feeding the same through the opening 18 of the hopper 14, and over the entire width of the road being paved. The roller 46 is a finishing device which may take different forms. I may employ in lieu thereof a strike off and finishing tamping mechanism, not shown.

Since it is the contemplation of this invention that an entirely automatic paving plant be provided in my machine. I am not concerned particularly with the types of detailed parts utilized for accomplishing the various operations incident to the proper supplying, mixing. discharging, spreading and finishing of the concrete which is produced by the employment of my invention. I claim to be the first one to produce a machine of the generalportable type which I have described herein, in which by the-use of a single operator, or a tremendously reduced operating force, as compared with the present road paving jobs, I may convey to the mixing unit of my machine the dry aggregates, causing them to be mixed properly with water supplied automatically. and at regular intervals, the finished mixed batches being automatically discharged and said batches. when discharged. being supplied to the roadbed the whole width of the latter and laid down upon said roadbed in a spread condition and finished after being laid. Under these conditions, practically speaking, my

the necessary materials and laying a concrete road automatically in respect to those operat'ons which ensue upon the actual feeding of the concrete aggregates to the mixer or mixers.

It is to be understood that as the mixed concrete aggregates flow from the spreader hopper 14 they pass out of said hopper in a layer of predetermined thickness or depth which ives to them their spread condition and only makes necessary the operation on the spread aggregates of a finishing device to completely form the actual concrete road.

Summarizing the complete operat'on of my machine, it will be understood that the crane 1 will supply by. the batch box 5, a. batch of material which will be discharged into a stationary hopper 15 of the mixing unit. As the dry aggregates flow from the batch box 5 into the hopper 15, the impact of the aggregates against the plate 26 moves said plate downwards, and rocks the 4 lever arms 284045 and 41. The rocking of arm 41 initiates the operation of the discharge chute actuatin device, of which said arm 41 is a part, and causes the discharge chute to move to a non-discharging position. The actuating of the arm 45 causes the water to be discharged into the mixer along with the dry aggregates.

After the elapsed mixing time has expired, batchmeter 29 automatically resets Itself, its arm 40 going back to its full line pos tion of Figure 3. This raises the plate 26 to its full line position and restores the arms 45 and 41 to their full line positions, cutting oil the water passing from the tank to the mixer and refill ng the tank from the supply line; the movement of the arm 41 to its full line position initiating the operation of the discharge chute 13 to cause the latter to assume a discharging position permitting the outflow of the mixed aggregates from the mixer at this particular t'me.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent. of the United States, is

1. In concrete mixing apparatus, the combination, with a mixer adapted to be charged with aggregates to be mixed therein and an operation control mechanism therefor, of means disposed in the line of the'pathof aggregates to be delivered to the mixer incident to charging thereof for actuating the control mechanism.

2. In concrete mixing apparatus, the combination, with a mixer adapted to be charged with aggregates to be mixed therein, of means in the path of the aggregates being charged into the mixer exteriorly thereof and arranged for actuation by said aggregates for controlling the mixing operation of the mixer.

3. In a road paving machine, in combinatherefor, a discharge therefor, loading means for the hopper, trip means adapted to be operated by the entrance of aggregates into the feeding hopper, means actuated by said trip means to set the discharge into an inactive position, and a batchmeter controlled by said trip means for causing the discharge to perform its discharging function after an elapsed mixing per 0d during which the aggregatcs are mixed in the mixer.

41. In concrete mixing apparatus, in combination, a concrete mixer, a feeding hopper therefor, a discharge therefor, loading means for the hopper, a trip plate movably mounted in the hopper to receive the impact of materials loaded therein and be moved thereby at the time of loading, and connections between said trip plate and the discharge instrumentality for controlling the action of the latter from the trip plate to discontinue the discharging action 7 incident to loading of the mixer.

5. In concrete mixing apparatus, in combination, a concrete mixer, a feeding hopper therefor, a discharge therefor, loading means for the hopper, a trip plate movably mounted in the hopper to receive the impact of-materials loaded therein atthe timeofloading,connections between said trip plate and the discharge instrumentality for controlling the action of the latter from the trip plate, and a batchmeter included in said connections from the trip plate to discharge instrumentality for effecting a delayed action of the latter to take place after the aggregates have been properly mixed in 'the mixer.

6. In concrete mixing apparatus, in combination, a concrete mixer, a feeding hopper therefor, adischarge therefor, loading means for the hopper, a trip plate movably mounted in the hopper to receive the impact of materials loaded therein at the time of loading, connections between said trip plate and the discharge instrumentality for controlling the action of the latter from the trip plate, a water tank for supplying water to the mixer, and operating means for controlling the passage of water to the mixer from said tank connected with the connections between the trip plate and the discharge aforesaid.

7. In mixin apparatus of the class described, in com ination, a mixer, a hop er to supply aggregates to the mixer, a disc arge device for dischar 'ng the contents of the mixer, a water tan for supplying water to the mixer, a trip plate pivoted in the said hopper for receiving impact of aggregates as they are su plied to said hopper, valve means for contro hug the passage of water from 1 the said tank to the mixer, a batchmeter presetable'to control discharge action of the discharging device and connections leading from the said tr1p plate to the valve means and to the batchmeter so that these parts can be set by movement of the trip plate under impact of materials fed into the hopper.

8. In a mixing machine, a mixing drum having charging and dischargin openings, a movable discharge chute shiftabIe into mixing and discharging positions, a power discharge mechanism for moving said chute into the aforesaid positions, and a device arranged in the path of the aggregates as they pass into the charging opening, said device being operatively associated with the power discharge to operate the same when the mixing drum is being charged with aggregates.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ERICH H. LICHTENBERG. 

